John Deere's loyalty to the local communities it operates in was evident this week as John Deere Des Moines Works announced it would donate $5,000 to the Ankeny Area Historical Society, highlighting the company's importance to both the city's local economy and its history.

Ankeny, Iowa is a town that is steeped in John Deere lore. Ron Sampson, the historical society's president, told the Des Moines Register that Ankeny's and John Deere's history are intertwined: after World War II, John Deere came to the city and took over an ammunition plant and turned it "into a world-class agricultural facility." The donation will enable the historical society to construct permanent displays about its ordinance plant and the reasons why John Deere Des Moines Works chose Ankeny as its base of operations.

Sampson asserts that John Deere is an essential part of the town, both now and in the past. John Teeple, a factory manager at John Deere, declared that the gift was aligned with the company's "community involvement and community betterment strategies." Moreover, he noted that in this instance, "the donation contributed to the restoration and ongoing maintaining of the legacy of the ordinance plant."

Sampson says he will take the winter to decide on final details and how the funds will be spent.